Weathercocking supersonic wedge diffuser for air inlets in aircraft



Jan. 8, 1957 D H, BRENDAL 2,776,806

WEATHERCOCKING SUERSONIC WEDGE DIFFUSER FOR AIR' INLETS IN AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l .2:57 0o ALD H BRE/VDM 7% @y Afro/mfr Jan. 8, 1957 D. H. BRENDAL 2,776,806

WEATHERCOCKING SUPERSONIC WEDGE DIFFUSER FOR AIR INLETS IN AIRCRAFT Filed Feb. 5, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 am oaf ra Lia/wp //G/f/ efffwef oa /A/ /Zg om Acct/Maarn@ /N VE N 70H DONALD H. BRENDAL A 7 TRNEV Unite tates atent WEATHERCQCKING SurRsoNic umm:

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11 claims. (ci. 244-53) This invention relates to supersonicv inlets and more particularly to wedge-type inlets and ditlusefrs.

Itis an `object of this invention t o provide a vvedge in1etditfuser combination which will provide maximum pressure recovery under varied angles ot attack andy It is another object of this invention to provide a super-A sonic Wedge inlet and diiuser which vvill automatiealiy provide shock stability and high pressure recovery und varied relative angles of the approaching airstn over a Wide Mach number range.

Thoseand other objects of this inverti@ will b9 readily apparent from the following detail rdescription of' the' drawings in Whishr the uodgaye@'inlet-dfinie obstruction a in 6mm/H. t

Fig; 41's a partial cross-sectional v ievvi -taken along the isi@ Partial perspective View of a vehicle having angleY and thewedge arigle is relatively large 1 1 Ai 1t of th aff" vvelge'angle andthe diffuser pan e eglise ,of 09k type diffuser. i Y l f Boshoek aailillta 1 f' 2 i. U f :c: L sf.- .1

disturbance linside the dilu er Adisadvantage of a ixed wedge diffuser stems from "M -gies desireV nand" iiias'riifnlfa's th required ofma't bewgrejati thith'e eater magniudeuipjrpe'wedge h a 1e' 'B^a"^vveakexpnsion wave fltllis prond'licedoii one majorside ofthe Wedge `2'2 jand"a'strong*ohipression'vvav 24 is produced on'th inaj'r side'tofth'e Wedge. Such a condition will `obviusly'result' in"large differences-iii pressure 'recovery yatth '1'ip26f'o'f the" diffuser inlet'nd large losses 'in overall"prssure recovery. yIt will be apparent that where" the relative'f'agle bf attack-is less thaiithe wedge half angle b'utother than zero' this problem i's not-assevere sinemo :eirp'an'sion wave is produced asa result of .thefair having to move around a sharp corner and-the two ycompression `vil'avesare moreequalin strength. c'

2,776,806 Patented Jan. 8, 1957 Frice 2 The foregoing ldisadvantage can be alleviated by a weathercocking'wedge which can be maintained at or near a'zero angle of attack relative -to the'oncoming airstr'eam tlius retaining -a symmetrical Wedge oblique shock configuration.v Since a simple hinged wedge presents a statically unstableconguration it is the purpose of this invention to provide `a stable balancing servo device which will maintain the wedge at or near to -a zero angle of attack.'

*Referring to Fig. 3, a supersonic vehicle is generally indicated at 40 and includes a' fuselage 42 and laterally extending Wings 44 andll. The Wing'rootscontain Wedge type diuser inlets generally indicated at 48 which-in turn communicate with ducts such as 5t), illustrated in Fig. 4. Each Qfthe dilusers include a `centralineinber 54-which has an upstream wedge portion S5 which terminatesina leading edge 5S. The wedge portion 56-and fthe member 54' cooperate with the walls 60, 62 to form a diituser passage 64 which communicates with -the'inlet Passage ttestate Sti may lead toa ramot or turbojet power "Plantor any other form of air consuming deviceln order to insure that the wedge portion 56 remains at or `near a zero angle of attacky relative to the oncoming stream, the wedge 56 is pivotally mounted by means of a Vshaft 66 mounted for pivotal movement at its extremities by, any suitable means. Fixed to; the shaft 6 6 are two arms 68 and 7i) which are swept back at lsome suitable angle.v The free endesof thea'rms o8 and 70 carry aurons vor metA 72 andra, r'spetively'.' Thus i; will be apparent that should thev relative vvvindf'assume 'a' position 'shin Eig. the v. a11 es"l 24v and V7e Willnalign thems s vv'itlifthe relative vvind so as to vpivot'the Wedge 5 6 o vthe dotted line position illu's'tratedl Thus under ied"positi ve 4and negative angles of attack the Wedge 5 1l oomealigned with the relative wind so asto a e production 'of unsymmetrical ,shock Waves.

12 .f fenoo 8,0; and 8,2 extend( forwardlyot the IiP S 4 t the dir user'and terminate adjacent the leading "edge 5t of the wedge fr. The: .fences so; and, S2 teme' a Rasage therebetween for the airywhi-oh 11ow`s`orerthe `56 ild thon into.' the ditfusorioletfho tease 82 yspaced from thefuselage @thereby permitting darylayerair which builds upon the fuselage surface ,freiem Qt' the inlet to bo' bY-Pased, "around 'the' 'inlet f downstream along the' junction of the vviiig and el e." The'vv'edge 56 would be constructed so'that it vv 'be statically balanced' in thestraiglit'forvvard or axial' position s'o 'that it would'maintain position at z o or lvviforvvardspeedsof the vehicle;y

"'ln theevent thtthe 'use of arms such as 68 4and 70 and vanssucu 'as-'72 and 74' (Fig: 4)/ presenta structural problei'fr cause excessive drag, it may be de sirableito u'filiia servo mechanism such asthat illstrate`d'inlig-5. Herin" a"dittuser 90 is'illustrated as" having `a central similar to that illustrated in Figs. 3y and 4. In`th`e event that the relative vvind Vassumes the position illustratedby the arrow'"9`6 the pressurev on the top majo'islirface 98 Will be' higher than the pressure on' the" bottom major surface' 100 of the Wedge94. These pressures "are cion# ducted byflines 1tl2`and 104 to chambers 106 and 108., respectively; 4The pressure differential will" deflect the diaphrgm'lltl which in turn will produce amotion'in the" vrodl 112l commensurate with thel signal lerror or pressure diierential. This signaler motion of the rod 112' will move the pilot valve 118'to the right as illustrated` thereby permitting high pressure lluid from' the power source to how through the line 122 to the right" side 'of the 'piston 124. The leftfside vof the piston 124 has its adjacent chamber then connected'viaithe line 126'to the drain or low pressure line 12S. i In the position ofi' the pil-ot valve, as illustrated, the servo piston 124'v will move to the left thereby moving the bellcrank 130 so as to move the wedge 98 upwardly about its pivot 134. This upward motion will continue until the wedge is in alignment with the relative wind at which time the pressures on either major surface of the wedge will equalize thereby returning the diaphragm 11i) and the pilot valve 118 to the neutral position. It will be apparent that with the wedge being at a positive angle of attack with the relative wind the reverse operation of the servo mechanism will ensue.

It will be apparent that as a result of this invention a simple but highly .stable wedge-type inlet-diffuser structure is provided whereby efiicient operation and high pressure recovery is obtainable over a wide range of Mach numbers and at varied angles of attack.

What it is desired to obtain by Letters Patent is:

l. In a fluid inlet adapted to operate in fluids of relative supersonic velocities, the inlet including an opening dei-ined by a leading edge, a streamlined member protruding upstream of said leading edge and extending aft Within said opening, and means for pivotally mounting the portion of said member which extends upstream of said leading edge adjacent its aft end.

2. In a vehicle adapted to operate in an airstream of relative supersonic velocities, a fuselage, an air inlet carried by said fuselage including an opening defined by a lip and a duct downstream of said lip, a wedge located in said duct forming a diffuser, said wedge terminating in a sharp leading edge located upstream of said lip, means for pivotally supporting an upstream portion of said wedge including said leading edge, and means for moving said upstream portion about said pivotal support relative to the downstream portion of said wedge.

3. In a uid inlet adapted to receive fluids from a stream of relative supersonic velocities, the inlet including a straight-sided opening defined by a leading `edge lip, a streamlined member centrally located in said opening and forming a passageway between said lip and member, said member terminating in a sharp leading edge upstream of said lip and being pivotally mounted adjacent said lip, and means responsive to the relative direction of the iiuid stream with respect to said opening for moving said member about its pivot.

4. In a uid inlet adapted to receive fluids from a stream of relative supersonic velocity, the inlet including an opening defined by a leading edge, a streamlined member symmetrically disposed within said opening and terminating in a sharp leading edge upstream of said first-mentioned leading edge, and means for pivotally mounting an upstream portion of said member at a point adjacent to said first-mentioned lip, andmeans for moving said upstream portion about its pivotal mounting including mechanism responsive to the angle of attack of the fluid stream relative to said opening for aligning said member with the relative stream and maintaining said member at zero angle of attack relative to the stream.

5. In a uid inlet adapted to receive iiuid from a stream of relative supersonic velocities and having a wedge diffuser, said diffuser including an outer diffuser wall having an upstream lip and a wedge located in the inlet and forming the inner wall of said diffuser, said wedge having a sharp leading edge located upstream of said lip and adapted to form in the stream an attached shock which extends outwardly and rearwardly thereof but forward of said lip, said wedge including an aft stationary portion forming a continuation of said leading edge portion, and means for obtaining maximum pressure recovery in said diffuser during varied relative angles of attack of the liuid stream comprising a pivot: for the leading edge portion of said wedge and mechanism for moving the leading edge portion of said wedge: about said pivot in response to variations of angle of attack of the uid stream.

6. In a vehicle adapted to operate in an airstream of relative supersonic velocities, a fuselage, an air inlet carried by said fuselage including an opening defined by a lip and a duct downstream of said lip, said hp being spaced from said fuselage, a wedge located in said duct forming a diffuser, said wedge terminating in a sharp leading edge located upstream of said lip, means for pivotally supporting an upstream portion of said wedge including said leading edge, said supporting means being adjacent the aft end of said upstream portion, means for moving said upstream portion about said pivotal support, and wall means extending upstream from a portion of the periphery of said lip and located adjacent the side of said wedge nearest said fuselage, said wall means being spaced from said fuselage and being substantially coterminous with said leading edge whereby boundary layer air on said fuselage is by-passed from said opening.

7. In a vehicle adapted to operate in an airstream of relative supersonic velocities, a fuselage, an air inlet carried by said fuselage including an opening defined by a lip and a duct downstream of said lip, a streamlined member located in said inlet and forming a diffuser passageway with said duct, said member spanning said opening and including an upstream portion terminating in a sharp leading edge upstream of said lip, said upstream portion having two major surfaces and being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of said surfaces, and means for moving said upstream portion about its pivot including means responsive to the relative pressures on said major surfaces.

8. ln a vehicle adapted to operate in an airstream of relative supersonic velocities, a fuselage, an air inlet carried by said fuselage including an opening defined by a lip and a duct downstream of said lip, a streamlined member located in said inlet and forming a diffuser passageway with said duct, said member spanning said opening and including an upstream portion terminating ina sharp leading edge upstream of said lip, said upstream portion having two major surfaces and being mounted for pivotal movement about an axis substantially parallel to the plane of said surfaces, means for sensing the pressure on each of said major surfaces, means for comparing said pressures and producing a signal, a servo motor, a source of power, means for controlling the flow of power from said source to said servo motor including operative connections to said signal producing means, and means connecting said servo motor to said upstream portion for moving the latter about its pivot.

9. In a fluid inlet adapted to receive fluids from a stream of relative supersonic velocity, the inlet including an opening defined by a leading edge, a streamlined member symmetrically disposed within said opening and terminating in a sharp leading edge upstream of said first mentioned leading edge, said member comprising two separate sections, one of said sections extending substantially from said first mentioned leading edge upstream to said second mentioned leading edge, the other of said sections being fixed and extending from said opening downstream into said inlet, means for pivotally mounting said one portion adjacent its trailing edge and at a point adjacent said first mentioned leading edge, and means for moving said one portion about its pivot.

10. In a fluid inlet adapted to receive tiuids from a stream of relative supersonic velocities, the inlet including a straight-sided opening dened by a leading edge lip, a streamlined member centrally located in said inlet and forming a passageway between said lip and member, said member including upstream and downstream portions, said upstream portion extending from said opening and terminating in a sharp leading edge upstream of said lip, said downstream portion extending aft into said inlet and forming a streamlined continuation of said upstream portion, means for pivotally mounting said upstream portion adjacent its aft end, and means for moving said member about its pivot.

11. A fiuid inlet according to claim l0 wherein said last mentioned means includes a device for sensing the angle of attack of the uid stream relative to said upstream portion of said streamlined member and a servo device operatively connected to said sensing device and said upstream portion, said sensing device controlling said servo device and said upstream portion.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

